The hijab

The hijab in juristic usage is that which veils the woman; the Kuwaiti Fiqh Encyclopedia gives it a dedicated entry distinguishing its material senses — veiling the 'awra, screening during prayer — from its figurative ones ¹.

The jurists detail the rulings of covering ²; the encyclopedia's hijab entry names khimar and niqab among related terms ¹.

The word has two senses: a material one, a body that stands between two things, and a figurative one, anything that blocks the reaching of an aim. ³ For the majority, the 'awra of a woman that must be veiled from a stranger is her whole body except the face and hands. ³ Veiling the 'awra in privacy is recommended out of shame before God, and uncovering it is allowed for need, such as treatment, circumcision or testimony. ^{4 5} Figuratively, the word appears in the saying that there is no hijab between the prayer of the wronged and God. ⁶ A judge may not withdraw from people without excuse; the Shafi'is and Hanbalis dislike a judge having a chamberlain, while the Malikis and Hanafis allow it. ⁷ On testimony heard from behind a veil, the Hanafis, Malikis and Hanbalis accept hearing alone when the speaker is known, while the Shafi'is require sight as well. ^{7 6} Veiling as a term of inheritance is a separate headword, hajb. ⁸

The speaker answers those who call for unveiling in the name of women's freedom, and holds that this exposes women to men's gaze; the sentences are partly unclear (needs_source) ⁹. He notes the many varieties of hijab among women and calls some of them fashion; this describes what he sees rather than a general ruling (needs_source) ¹⁰.

The Sheikh says that all bliss lies in looking upon the face of the Generous and all torment lies in being veiled from the Lord of lords, and he holds that whoever is veiled from his Lord has veiled himself ¹². He relays what some women say, among them older female relatives who have not covered, that the hijab is the hijab of the heart ¹². The Sheikh sharply criticizes the statement of a woman who says she will wear the hijab when God permits; he holds that such postponement is itself a veil over the heart from God's light, and he says that God gave the permission and the command some fifteen hundred years ago and that the woman who says this is circling around the matter (needs_source) ¹¹.

According to the Sheikh, Aisha related that she admired the women of the Ansar when the verses of the hijab were revealed: each woman tore her wrap in two and gave half to her sister, and they covered themselves with it and came out of the mosque ¹³.

The Sheikh says, as his own opinion, that he defended the hijab in a lecture in Paris, comparing the turban of a leader with a headscarf to show what he sees as an inconsistency in the French position; he also says that Muslim girls in Paris came first in the national secondary exams (needs_source) ^{17 18}.

He compares dress to uniform: as police and soldiers are known by their uniforms, he says, the Muslim is known only by the hijab ¹⁴. He advises a woman to keep her lawful dress and not to surrender her religion for a job, since provision comes from God ^{19 20}.

The Sheikh holds, as his own opinion, that a husband who wants his wife to wear the hijab should first set a good example in his own conduct ¹⁵. If a wife refuses the hijab, he advises the husband to be patient with her and to pray for her guidance, rather than to divorce her ¹⁶. He advises the mother of a daughter who gave up the hijab to pray for her and to look for the gap through which Satan entered the household ^{21 22}.

He describes a schoolgirl whose veil was lifted gradually, step by step, and says the story may be symbolic (needs_source) ²³.

A caller asks whether a woman past the age of childbearing may loosen her covering when it hinders her. The Sheikh says that God's ease allows women past childbearing age to do so, criticises older women who seek youth through cosmetics, and cites a verse about women past the age of desire for marriage (needs_source: the sura is not named in the recording). ²⁴

The Sheikh addresses a woman who wears the niqab, tells her not to step back, says that following a particular school of law is acceptable, and counts her commitment as a sign of God's generosity. ²⁵

The Sheikh explains that hasra, in the language, means scraping off a covering so that the surface is left bare, and says that when the faith which protects a person is uncovered he is exposed to trials, like a child who takes off what protects him. ^{26 27}